If you are intrigued by all those medieval knights donning a hardened suit of crimson at Vivocity, you are not alone. Those man-sized armoured models are actually advertisements or signboards for the first and only medieval castle-themed restaurant in Singapore, also known as The King Louis Bar & Grill. To have another restaurant by the name of Queen and Mangosteen, which is nestled at Vivocity fascinates me for some reasons.

That is not all, stepping into The King Louis is similar to entering a world of medieval in Ancient Europe - furnished with classic, specially crafted wooden furnitures, accompanied by a life-size white tiger model. What is a castle without knights? Well, the restaurant is guarded by knights as well, so don't try to think of any funny ideas. Ah yes, it features a scenic view of the harbourfront as well. Therefore, if you want the best seats, do yourself a favour by placing reservations early.Most of their menu items are named well - medievally, such as Knight Lancelot, King's Banquet or my personal favourite Sir Thomas' Tea Selection (simply because we share similar first names). In the end, we chose Queen Isabelle - a sharing platter for 2 (enough for 3, or even 4) consisting of a gastronomic combination of roasted beef with black pepper sauce, premium BBQ baby back ribs, roasted Queen pullet in English style and lamb steak with rosemary herbs, completed with a salad of coleslaw and fruits.

Among everything that falls on the platter, the succulent and flavourful BBQ racks was my favourite, whereas the tough beef and lamb steak were hard to swallow, especially the former. I even had to use water to assist me with the swallowing. Big fail.They claimed that inside the castle, which I supposed is the restaurant, you will be treated like King Louis himself. I hoped he did not choked on their tough steaks. Otherwise, The King Louis is awesome for everything else, except the food. Perhaps, a beer or two with your besties is the most ideal thing you could do here.

As an avid globetrotter and food enthusiast, the owner nicknamed none other than Charly, embarked on an adventurous journey across the continents while gathering innovative food ideas and concepts. Located at NOMU and the recent opening of PasarBella (Turf Club)'s and I12 Katong's outlets, Charly T's is yet, a medium to share his inspiration to the masses through food.

It was a last minute decision to have our dinner at Charly T's, as the Groupon voucher that I bought ages ago expired on that day. I was quite reluctant as it was nowhere near my place, however the journey time from Dhoby Ghaut to Charly T's is no more than a 5-minute stroll. Thank God, I didn't really want to waste the $40 worth of vouchers anyway.Since Rotisserie Chicken was marked as their speciality, we decided to try out a quarter (S$14.50) which comes together with 2 side dishes. Having eaten the roasted chicken, I can't understand what's the hype about. There was no doubt that the marination was done pretty well and the faint charred taste was a plus, however considering that it was the breast area I had, it was still dry and ain't juicy at all. For the sides, our choices were steamed vegetables and mac-and-cheese, both which hardly passes the mark as well.

Cordon Bleu Chicken (S$14) barely hit the spot too, but it's definitely better than the rotisserie chicken. The breast meat this time round was not oily, yet tender and fairly juicy with the usual ham and cheese, encased in a crispy crust of bread crumbs. Lovely, just that the cheese was too bland and runny for my liking. Thick cut potato chips was good, much better than the ones in MacDonalds or Kenny Rogers.I don't even know why Kaiserschmarrn (S$16) became our dessert, but I figured out its because of the unique name that we don't even understand. And so it came, light and fluffy pancake, and showered with icing sugar and raisins, accompanied by home-made vanilla ice cream. Although the menu itself describes this Austrian-German dessert as "****-ed up pancakes…good for 2!", portion-wise, yes it's good, but as a whole, I wouldn't say I was that accustomed to the particular moist, eggy-banana flavour. BUT! The homemade ice cream was awesome. It was one of the best I've ever had. It comes at S$4 per scoop if you want another serving of heaven.In a nutshell, Charly T serves decent Western affair (well, mostly), but it's not that worth it, if without vouchers. Oh well, at least I know what's Kaiserschmarrn now. Do you?

Boston Seafood Shack is another venture by Creative EATeries, an attempt to replicate the vibrant and lively atmosphere of Boston's harbour, while aiming to serve hearty flavours at affordable prices. With "seafood shack" as a design theme, the natural-lighted Boston Seafood Shack is equipped with a variety of colourful beachside props, such as anchors and nets with fishes hanging everywhere.There is a reason why service charge is waived in Boston Seafood Shack. Since it is a more of a fast-food restaurant, diners have to queue up to make purchases which after you have to collect the food and utensils yourself.

The Big Seafood Platter (S$39 nett), which includes 2 fish and chips, 2 garden salads, a plate of seafood pasta and 4 drinks *SAFRA members get a complimentary bowl of Soup of the Day* was recommended to us (for a group of 4).

Their highlight lies in their Fish and chips - your choice of fish (Cod, Barramundi or Snapper) fried till the batter's golden and crispy with the flesh still soft and juicy. While it is good enough to eat it alone, adding condiments, like tobasco or tartare sauce brings this to a whole new level. Chips are good, but were plain to eat it by itself.Other than that, most of their food was kind of disappointing: The "so-called creamy" mushroom soup was watery and tasteless. Garden salad was nothing to rave, but even the ice lemon tea was bland. The seafood pasta has quite the right flavour infused in the pasta, but the pasta itself was not the least al-dente, paired with just a couple of mussel, squid rings and prawns.Most of their food items are not cheap as well, with their sandwiches and wraps costing around S$13 on average. The only reason I can see myself returning to Boston Seafood Shack is their Fish and Chips, and nothing else.

"Jack flips buttered flaps with battered fluffy bats." Be greeted with adorable sheep cartoons and quirky tongue twisters such as that, when you stepped into this cozy pancake cafe located opposite Katong I12. Batter Fluffy Flaps, or better known as BFF (not to be confused with "Best Fries Forever") boasts not just their all-day fluffy pancakes, but also a place to chill out with your BFF (Best Friends/Family Forever).

BFF Special (S$39.00) which consists of 2 pancake meals, a side and 2 beverages, is an ideal promotion set if you're eating with a friend or two (we shared it among four for a light lunch). Prices listed below is as of individual pricing, without discounts nor promotions.

Truffle Ruffles (S$8.00) - Crispy fries tossed with truffle oil, garnished with a little grated Parmesan and parsley. This side dish tasted not much different from your usual fries, as with the faint, or rather - no trace of truffle aroma.
Who says pancakes are only for breakfast? We had the Breakfast Mambo Combo (S$14.00) at 'bout 4pm, it comes in a set of ham, bacon, poached eggs, chipolata sausages, together with two fluffly pancakes. Aside from the regular sidekicks, I expected the pancakes to be hot from the pan, but it was only lukewarm. Nevertheless, they are still properly moist and soft on the inside, and it forms back to shape slowly when gently pressed using a finger.
For me, I prefer good ol pancakes paired with cold ice cream, it's like an unbeatable and fail-proof dessert that would melt anyone's heart, such as their Strawberry Cheesecake Flakes (S$12.00). Two pancakes layered with house-made cream cheese and strawberries, sprinkled with buttered digestive crumbs and, topped with a scoop of strawberry ice cream and sauce. Besides all the pancake sets, you can create your own pancakes (S$14.00), by choosing a selection of flaps, fruits, toppings, ice cream and sauces. They do serve home-made blends and alcoholic beverages as well.

To be awfully honest, Batter Fluffy Flaps does have a long way to go if they still stay true to "giving the best pancake experience", but if you happened to be there (maybe after a cycle at the nearby East Coast Park), why not give them a try too? For more information such as the full menu and a customized party, do visit their main site at: http://www.batterfluffyflaps.com/

Today limbeh is introducing a new place for brunch in the CBD. Harry's bar, better known for its bar grubs and alcohol, has recently launched their breakfast and brunch menu (available from 8am to 10.30am daily). This is definitely good news for office workers who might want a switch from their usual kaya toasts and soft-boiled eggs at nearby kopitiams. If that is not a good reason to attract you, how about its location at boat quay with a 5-star view of the Singapore river matched with some river breeze on a hot day. Oh yeah.Okay, their Croissant Croque-Monsieur (S$12) is new to my dictionary. Isn't croque monsieur usually consist of sandwich? Screw that shit. At Harry's Bar, a heavenly combination of ham and grilled cheese are encrusted within a nice, crispy croissant, that is topped up with another layer of cheese. Needless to say, this French beauty is baked to perfection. Oh, damyyyum.Fry-Up consists of two sunny-side up, fried together with either veggies and mushrooms (S$12, below) or ham, bacon and mushrooms (S$13), and topped with cherry tomatoes. The eggs were nicely done with firm whites and a slightly runny yolk, which is a great complement to the toasted sour-dough. However, the steep price might be a huge turnoff for many.Luscious Soft-boiled eggs paired with Marmite soldiers (S$7) are your atas version of the typical kopitiam breakfast - just that there is no pepper or dark soy sauce. These are soldiers that definitely pack a salty punch, but apparently, one of the food bloggers, praised it to the high heavens. For me, I felt like I needed a dialysis. I got to confess that I am not a fan of marmite though. An acquired taste, I supposed.Assorted Muffins (S$2.90) which comes in a variety of flavours, such as Oatmeal Apple, Raisin Walnut, Raspberry, and Banana Peanut Butter. They are baked freshly at Harry's Bar itself to ensure a tiptop quality of freshness - crumbly exterior coupled with a moist and fluffy texture within. Banana PB was my favourite amongst the four. Everything goes well with PB (and Nutella), no?Would you just look at these beautiful muffins? For that price, I would say their muffins are good for value, plus they are available for takeaway as well. Perhaps, you can tabao a couple for the beautiful office ladies you fancy? (insert cheeky smile here)All in all, Harry's Bar is definitely a great place to hang around and chill out with friends whilst enjoy the breeze and picturesque landscape. Their breakfast menu is pretty decent for a start, but improvements can definitely be implemented. Last but not least, I want to thank Reka from Openrice, as well as, Harry's Bar for organising this food tasting event, it's always a pleasure to meet like-minded individuals.Harry's Bar

Tel: 6538 3029

28 Boat Quay

Singapore 049818

(~3 mins walk from Raffles MRT)